This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Why don't we just tax footballers and other sportsmen?

How is 40-50% high for someone earning 100k a week when that same tax is applied to someone earning 200k a year?

They add no real productivity to our world besides entertainment (compared with a doctor, let's say). I am proposing that sportsmen should earn less than doctors per year, not just in UK, but around the world.

Some footballers earn between £220k and a reported £286k per week (latter being Tevez', unconfirmed though).

I think they deserve it, I get a lot more use/joy out of watching footballers than I do out of all the doctors in the world. I think they should be paid a lot, the tax status here should be fair (it is already too high, I think!) so as to encourage great players to come and play here, rather than force them away. We already lose players to Spain, where tax rate is lower, increasing the amount of money they take home. Increasing our tax rate would only exaggerate this problem.

Reply 21

Overmars

17

No-one despises footballer salaries more than I do. There is a (valid) argument to suggest that the top footballers will **** off to Spain if we take any more of their cash, but I don't give a ****. Those that remain are the ones that actually want to be at the club. I'd love nothing more than to see football back to the way it was -- more locals lads filling up teams and wearing the shirt actually meaning something. The pampered lifestyle they have now is ridiculous. The players are so out-of-touch with the fans and they just couldn't give a **** about the success of a club unless it directly affects them. And, we, like ****in' idiots keep paying silly ticket prices just to watch their half-arsed apathy. Tax the **** out of the scum -- let them **** off, and we'll get real football back.

Reply 22

bramz19

16

After the Jean-Marc Bosman case, players' wages hit the roof. There's realistically next to nothing anyone can do about it now. It's practically impossible.

Reply 23

CitizensUnited

1

They should be taxed 100%. That'll show them.

Reply 24

Potally_Tissed

19

Original post by Swayum

You didn't read my last sentence. I'm saying that they wouldn't be able to get such a high salary ANYWHERE in the world. A sort of hypothetical world tax.

Obviously due to this point it's never actually going to happen, but still, I like your thinking. :smile:

Reply 25

Swayum

OP

18

Original post by M_E_X

Some footballers earn between £220k and a reported £286k per week (latter being Tevez', unconfirmed though).

I think they deserve it, I get a lot more use/joy out of watching footballers than I do out of all the doctors in the world. I think they should be paid a lot, the tax status here should be fair (it is already too high, I think!) so as to encourage great players to come and play here, rather than force them away. We already lose players to Spain, where tax rate is lower, increasing the amount of money they take home. Increasing our tax rate would only exaggerate this problem.

Are you insane? You are saying that a few hours watching football a week is worth more than the prospect of living a healthy life? Has anyone close to you ever got cancer? Have your grandparents died yet? Have you ever been to a dentist? Are you not concerned for your health when you turn 75ish?

Reply 26

Hopple

18

They work in a 'luxury' industry, i.e. there's no need at all for people to pay them, but they do anyway. That's the fairest way you can earn money.

I'd tax people who make money from more essential things in order to pressure them into keeping prices down (make a tax that actually makes it not worth getting a pay rise if you earn a certain amount). Looking at energy companies, train companies etc.

Reply 27

837491

16

People understand this logic with footballers, why don't they understand it with 'banker' bonuses and tax n banks...

Reply 28

Overmars

17

Original post by loafer

People understand this logic with footballers, why don't they understand it with 'banker' bonuses and tax n banks...

The sums aren't really comparable. We're talking about a lot of these guys earning 50k+ a week.

Reply 29

Swayum

OP

18

Original post by loafer

People understand this logic with footballers, why don't they understand it with 'banker' bonuses and tax n banks...

That's essentially what my thread is getting at really. People bang on about bankers' bonuses who earn 300k a year or whatever. But these guys earn that in less than a month and for doing **** all according to the football I've been watching. I always imagined them to be super skilled when I didn't watch football, but recently I've been watching over 8 hours a day and they're rubbish!

(edited 13 years ago)

hayta

Original post by Swayum

That's essentially what my thread is getting at really. People bang on about bankers' bonuses who earn 300k a year or whatever. But these guys earn that in less than a month and for doing **** all according to the football I've been watching. I always imagined them to be super skilled when I didn't watch football, but recently I've been watching over 8 horus a day and they're rubbish!

Britain needs a scapegoat so they like to demonise bankers.

Give it time, won't be long till the British public will somehow find a way to blame sportsmen...then it'll be their salaries that come under fire :yep:

Reply 32

im so academic

15

Original post by Swayum

You didn't read my last sentence. I'm saying that they wouldn't be able to get such a high salary ANYWHERE in the world. A sort of hypothetical world tax.

Yes, because it is hypothetical, that situation doesn't exist. Even so, a "low" salary would be more than a "high" one taxed at 80-90% (dependent on numbers).

Reply 33

should be revising

It's not the footballer's fault that the economics of the football world is so crazy.
It definitely is not fair to effectively 'steal' from the footballers just because you are caught up with the stereotypical view of the modern footballer.
Despite the picture the tabloids paint of footballers, many of them do a lot of charity work/community initiatives etc. They have worked extremely hard to get to where they are today and you want to punish them for it?!

Reply 34

Swayum

OP

18

Original post by should be revising

It's not the footballer's fault that the economics of the football world is so crazy.
It definitely is not fair to effectively 'steal' from the footballers just because you are caught up with the stereotypical view of the modern footballer.
Despite the picture the tabloids paint of footballers, many of them do a lot of charity work/community initiatives etc. They have worked extremely hard to get to where they are today and you want to punish them for it?!

I'm not saying it's their fault. I am saying our governments should recognise this and fix the bad economics - that's what governments are for - to fix market inefficiencies.

I agree they work very hard, but so does everyone else. Their salaries are completely out of line with what they add to our lives relative to other professionals such as doctors.

Reply 35

rajandkwameali

2

We should tax jealousy.

Reply 36

Installation

14

the EU could tax them :awesome:

Reply 37

Sabertooth

20

Do they wait until you get to third year to teach you about supply and demand?

Reply 38

Swayum

OP

18

Original post by rajandkwameali

We should tax jealousy.

I honestly do not care that I don't earn that much and I have no desire to play football. It's just such an outrageous amount man, I just think if the money went to the government we could fix so many other things that are much more needed, e.g. tuition fees.